2006 Fall/Winter Matheny Matters

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Fall / Winter 2006

Somerset Hills Bulldogs partner with Matheny by holding a dinner-dance to benefit both organizations.

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www.matheny.org ● 908-234-0011

Affinity Federal Credit Union Foundation, Basking Ridge, becomes an Artist Patron.

Community Connections Matheny is committed to providing its patients with an exceptional quality of life. That means leaving the hospital for shopping trips, concerts and sporting events...inviting athletes and entertainers to visit here...and generally welcoming the community to join and support us in everything we do.

The photos on these pages are just a sampling of how we’ve already connected with the community. We want to provide many more rich, fun life experiences for our patients and invite you to partner with us to make this happen. There are many ways you can help.

Do you have access to tickets for sports or entertainment events that our patients would enjoy? Perhaps you would be willing to reach out to your favorite local restaurant and ask them to “treat” three or four of our patients to a dinner out. And, of course, direct financial support to help with funding for staffing and transportation costs of day or overnight trips is always welcome.

To learn more about our Community Connections Program, please call the Development Office at 908-234-0011, ext. 260 or 214.

Mason Gross School of the Arts, New Brunswick, invites adult patients to attend a student jazz concert.

Villa Enterprises Management, Morristown, raises more than $50,000 at its golf tournament, enough to outfit Matheny with a new van.

Quest Karate, Long Valley, holds a Kickathon to help support Matheny's adaptive karate program.

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New Friends of Matheny President Is Determined to Increase Membership Over the past 23 years, The Friends of Matheny have raised close to $1.5 million for the children and adults at Matheny and provided thousands of hours of volunteer time to help enhance their quality of life. In addition, The Friends have been passionate advocates on behalf of Matheny to a broad segment of New Jersey’s corporate, business and foundation community.

Catherine Bergh, a Bernardsville resident, has been named the new president of The Friends of Matheny, and she is committed to increasing the membership. “I’d like to introduce new people to a great group of people,” she says. “We can enjoy one another’s company while accomplishing wonderful things.”

Bergh first became involved with Matheny as a result of an invitation to a wine tasting, sponsored by The Friends at Natirar. A neighbor then approached

her about serving on the Board. Bergh was impressed with the mission of

Catherine Bergh, president of The Friends of Matheny in the new lobby. Behind her is an untitled painting by the late Arts Access artist, Jimmy Morris.

Matheny, decided to become more involved and eventually accepted the presidency.

“I was so impressed by the renovation of the front lobby at Matheny,” says Bergh. “The Friends of Matheny under-

wrote the cost of the renovation because they felt it was very necessary to ensure the safety of Matheny children and adults. The changes in the lobby have made a big difference and are representative of what’s going on at Matheny.”

Bergh is also the impetus and guiding force behind Team Matheny, an offshoot of Miles for Matheny, the annual walking, wheeling and running fundraiser which supports Matheny’s outpatient clinic. Upon signing up to be a member of Team Matheny, participants compete in athletic events of their choice, wearing Team Matheny clothing. The goal is to generate financial support through sponsorships as well as help raise awareness.

Bergh is enthusiastic about her new role and the opportunity to help support Matheny. “I don’t see the barriers,” she says. “I see the possibilities.”

Board of Trustees Chair Anne L. Brady

Assistant Treasurer Robert M. Rogers

Vice Chair Daniel F. McLaughlin

Secretary William A. Krais, Esq.

Vice Chair Harriett Druskin

Assistant Secretary Eric C. Silverman

Treasurer John Sundman

President Steven M. Proctor

Members At Large Timothy Barnes, Esq. Catherine Bergh Robert H. Bernstein, Esq. Thomas R. Chesson, Esq. Edana Desatnick Gary E. Eddey, MD John E. Fox III

Peter J. Gianacakes Linda E. Horton Patrick J. Moynihan Nancy H. Robins Arnold H. Rosenheck, DMD Gerald Sydell, DDS

Trustees Emeritus Sally Chubb Lucile M. Huggins Gretchen W. Johnson

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Gordon A. Millspaugh, Jr. Sandra Stark Lawrence T. Taft, MD

Call 908-234-0011, ext. 260, or send a gift to: Development Office, Matheny Medical & Educational Center PO Box 339, Peapack, NJ 07977

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The Com : 6 0 m 0 o 2

Full C irc le

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Gold Patron The Druskin Family Foundation Bronze Patron Mike and Jane Steele & Family In-Kind Sponsor Liquitex (artist supplies) Artist Patrons A.G. Maintenance Corp.

Affinity Federal Credit Union Foundation Dr. and Mrs. Paul Bergh Mr. and Mrs. Steve Brown Drs. Brian and Anna Buinewicz Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Durr Forbes Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Jack Fox III Gallagher Benefit Services (2 artists) Mr. and Mrs. Robert Milanese Mr. and Mrs. Carl Ring Dr. and Mrs. Bernard Robins Drs. David Saypol and Barbara Leslie Mr. and Mrs. Eric Silverman Mr. David Teiger (4 artists)

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Paintings and digital art... wheelchair dance...dramatic readings.

Those were the highlights of Full Circle 2006: The Common Thread, the annual celebration of Matheny's Arts Access Program, which makes it possible for people with disabilities to create fine art, assisted by professional artistfacilitators.

Some 150 guests viewed 48 paintings and pieces of digital art on display in the gallery of the Robert Schonhorn Arts Center on Sunday, November 12, while they enjoyed gourmet food and beverages donated by Limestone Café and cocoLuxe Fine Pastries, Peapack; Gladstone Tavern and Opah Grille, Gladstone; Vine/Grill 73, Basking Ridge/Bernardsville; McCormick & Schmick’s and Wegmans, Bridgewater; and Starbucks, Gillette.

The stage presentation included four dance numbers featuring Arts Access dancers, Shaleena Tomassini, T.J. Christian and Natalia Manning with Infinity Dance Theater's Kitty Lunn, Wings Conservatory's Andrea Kramer and Maureen Glennon and the Roxey Ballet's Giovanni Ravelo. There were dramatic readings by Jenny Durr, Rasheedah Mahali, Manning, Jessica Evans, Cheryl Chapin, Alex Stojko and Christian. And some comic relief was provided by studio manager, Scott Beil, facilitator, Keith Garletts and Stojko in skits explaining the facilitation process.

This year’s Full Circle theme, The Common Thread, was inspired by Herman Melville’s “thousand invisible threads.” It was a celebration of what connects and binds us to each other.

Ridge High School student, June Granowitz of Basking Ridge, left, and Pingry student, Remy Teicher of Bernardsville, with Arts Access artist, Dion Alston.

Granowitz and Teicher volunteered at Full Circle.

“My Art Painting” by Mark Riddle.

From left, Mike and Janice Berger of Mount Tabor and Roger and Barbara Riedel of Denville.

From left, Andrea Kramer, T.J. Christian and Kitty Lunn performing “On the Wings of a Snow White Dove.”

Seven-year-old Jack Bonomo, a second grader at Washington Elementary School in Summit, and his brother, David, made Friendship Bracelets that were given to everyone attending Full Circle. With Jack is his mother, Mary Ann.

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Childhood Experience Prepared Craig Carey for Matheny Nursing Career Carey says, “are very giving. They’re not action with the patients.”

Growing up in Millburn, NJ, Craig judgmental. They have a lot of qualities we Carey specifically recalls sitting with a Carey would often baby sit for his aunt, don’t have. They may not have the physpatient one Christmas Eve. “She was in who had cerebral palsy. “She couldn’t her room,” he says, “and she speak,” he recalls. “She would was really sad. She was aware smile, and she’d stick her it was Christmas Eve, and she tongue out for ‘yes’ and ‘no’.”

Today, Carey, a Matheny wasn’t with her family; and I nurse, sees patients everyday just sat there with her for who are non-verbal. They awhile and talked to her. I just communicate in a variety of remember how good I felt that I had helped her a little.” As ways - from employing simple part of Matheny’s recreation “yes” and “no” signs to utilizing therapy program, patients sophisticated electronic assisoften go on trips or attend tive technology devices. sporting events. Carey recalls Although Carey hadn’t that he used to accompany planned a career working with them quite often. Now he has disabled patients, he had three young children of his “always wanted to work in own, which prevents him from healthcare.” After completing doing that as frequently as he two years at Kean College in would like. But, he adds, “it’s Elizabeth, NJ, he enrolled in always a wonderful experithe nursing program at Elizabeth General Hospital and ence to go out in the commubecame an RN. He started his nity with them.” nursing career at Elizabeth At other hospitals he’s General and also worked at worked at, Carey says, the Kessler Institute for patients were aware of the relRehabilitation in West Orange ative uncommonness of male and Greystone Psychiatric nurses. “Patients would say, Hospital in Parsippany before ‘Oh, you’re a male nurse; I’ve joining Matheny in 1997. never met a male nurse “Everything happens for a before.’ Here, there’s not that reason,” he reflects. “I ended distinction, especially with the Craig Carey, RN, with 15-year-old patient, Sammy Heisler. up back working with kids with patients. They just know you cerebral palsy.” An early welas a nurse, and that’s it. It come from a patient convinced him that ical or cognitive skills we do, but they makes you feel more comfortable.” At he had made the right move. “I’ll never excel in other areas. They’re much more Matheny, nurses, by necessity, become a forget,” he says. “She was wearing white compassionate; they’re much more part of their patients’ lives. “It’s kind of like stockings and a black dress, and she patient. They’re very appreciative of what you’re their parent,” Carey says. “You said, ‘hi.’ I said to myself, ‘This is the place we do. Not everyone can come to work have to make sure they’re safe, like a parI want to be’.” The patients at Matheny, and enjoy what they do. I enjoy the interent would do.”

"Not everyone can come to work and enjoy what they do."

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Mix of Motivation and Technology Helps Non-Verbal Matheny Student Find His Voice ual academic area as well as specialty putting sentences together to express Many of the patients at Matheny, are areas. There are pages for language arts, himself. He’s able to comment on things non-verbal. Speech-language patholomath, science, social studies and now, expressing opinions.” gists regularly provide comprehensive Spanish. He also has a career page When Mayercik takes Teresi into the augmentative communication evaluaspeech therapy room for tions of these patients, who individual sessions, “we have the opportunity to try a wide variety of electronic start off by my having him devices and more traditiontell me anything he wants. al picture-symbol displays Sometimes he’ll tell me in order to identify what is about Mom and Dad; sometimes he’ll tell me the most appropriate techabout class. But he has the nique. freedom to tell me those Two years ago, 14things without me asking year-old Danny Teresi was him questions. We’re startusing a manual language ing now to take it out of the board with symbols depictclassroom and use it on ing what he wanted to weekends. We’ve taken express verbally. Spurred him out on trips to the mall. on by his special education His assignment on one of teacher, Jim Hintenach, Jim Hintenach, left, watches as 16-year-old student, Danny Teresi, uses his these trips was to choose and working together Dynavox speech-output device. what he wanted for lunch, with his Matheny speechlanguage pathologist, Christine where he does interviews. And he has which he was able to do without a probMayercik, MS, CCC-SLP, he has learned social and leisure pages that he flips to.” lem.” how to effectively utilize a Dynavox comTeresi, says Mayercik, “is a very talAs part of Hintenach’s careers curputerized speech-output device. ented non-verbal communicator. His riculum, students are expected to interTeresi’s progress coincidview visitors to Matheny, Jim Hintenach has been named ed with his transfer into finding out more about Educator of the Year Hintenach’s more them and what they do for a by the National Association of advanced class of students living. Recently, Teresi, now Private Special Education Centers. preparing for transition into 16, interviewed three volunyoung adulthood. “When Danny moved body language and his facial expresteers from the pharmaceutical company, into Jim’s class,” Mayercik recalls, “he sions tell you volumes of information.” sanofi-aventis. Recalls Hintenach: “Dan was suddenly in a classroom where But she concedes that transitioning him chose the questions and interacted with everyone was speaking in sentences from a manual board to an electronic them. Everyone understood what he and phrases. I think it really motivated device “was a struggle. He really was asking. He didn’t have to repeat him to want to have a voice.” worked hard with Jim and me. We got anything.” Adds Mayercik: “He asks the Says Hintenach: “He went from havhis input regarding what to put on his right questions: ‘Hi, how are you?‚’ ing a board with 60 icons to probably pages initially, and we kind of built it up ‘What’s your name?‚’ ‘Where do you four times that number. With Christine’s slowly. He has really come a long way. live?’ He’s very curious. He’s got a lot to help, he created pages for each individHe’s working on sentence structure now, say, and he wants to say it all.”

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‘Team Atmosphere’ Sets Matheny Apart When Tara Hopko was 12 years old, her aunt had a stroke and was

admitted

Kessler

to

returned to Matheny part-time, turning

of OT for preschool children (ages, 3-5),

down other positions closer to

Hopko says, is “stability. We want to

her home in Hackettstown.

create stability in their bodies so they

She was drawn back to

can later use their hands for functional

the

Rehabilitation

Corporation’s facility in

Matheny, she says, not

things. Once they have that stability, we

Chester, NJ. “I would

just by the patients but

can work on other skills such as holding

help her eat and get

by the other employ-

a spoon, feeding themselves, holding

Hopko

ees. “It’s such a great

and using a writing utensil. We also

recalls now. “That’s

team atmosphere

tend to work a lot on gross motor skills

when I realized I

here,” she says. “It’s

such as trunk and head control.”

wanted to become

such a joy to work

a therapist.” Hopko

with

actually worked at

people

pour

to play. In fact, everything we do in ther-

Kessler and at the

their hearts into their

apy, we try to make into a game.”

Horizon School, a

jobs.”

Almost all therapy in Matheny’s pre-

dressed,”

extraordinary who

Hopko, particularly likes working with preschoolers because, “They love

special education

The purpose

school‚ she says, is integrated into the

facility in Livingston,

of occupational ther-

classroom. “For example, while I’m

apy is to help patients

having a student sitting on the ball, the

develop and build

teacher also has an activity going on,

NJ, before coming to Matheny as a staff occupational

Tara Hopko, COTA, works on head and trunk control with four-year-old preschool student, Fiza Mohammad

skills important for

and I can incorporate things like reach-

therapist about 2 1/2 years ago. She

independent functioning, health and

ing and grasping.” Just another exam-

left to have a baby 10 months ago but

well-being. The most important aspect

ple of the team approach.

Appeal of Dinosaurs Motivates Young Poets The Matheny preschool/ kindergarten

My dinosaur drives a car,

this; it was the first time they had really writ-

class had been studying both dinosaurs

But he got stuck in some tar.

ten anything. Of course, we put their

and rhymes; and teacher, Allison Irland,

Now he wishes on a star

poems up on the bulletin board

was determined to combine the two les-

That one day he’ll go far.

so everyone could see them.”

sons by having her students write poetry

Another student, four-year-

The Talking Symbol was cre-

about dinosaurs. The challenge was how

old Fiza Mohammad wanted her

ated by AbleNet, a company

to accomplish that with non-verbal stu-

dinosaur to read a book. So, with

based in Minnesota, that manu-

dents.

the help of the Talking Symbol,

factures products designed for

she wrote:

students with disabilities.

communications tool that records and

Fiza and her dinosaur are reading

Matheny’s mission is to enable

plays back short messages, Irland brain-

a book

students with disabilities to reach

stormed with her class “about funny things

By the banks of a brook.

Using a Talking Symbol, a compact

you might have a dinosaur do.” For example, six-year-old Kevin Long wanted to

To catch some fish that they

have his dinosaur drive a car. The next

can cook.

step, says Irland, was “to program in other

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Thankfully, they brought a hook

their maximum potential. Using a Teacher, Allison Irland, holds the Talking Symbol so Kevin Long can listen to words that rhyme with “car.”

After all the poems were writ-

simple device such as the Talking Symbol at an early age will, hopefully, make it easier for the students to learn how to use

rhyming words with car.” The result was

ten, there was, according to Irland, “lots of

more sophisticated augmentative communi-

Kevin’s poem:

laughing and smiling. They had fun doing

cations devices as they grow older.

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‘Hugs, Kisses’ and ‘Lots of Friends’ “I t’s an XOXO fraternity - lots of hugs and kisses.” That’s how Dave Szott, the father of 11-year-old Matheny student, Shane Szott, described Matheny, where Shane has lived since January, 2006. Speaking after dinner at the Matheny Golf Classic, held October 9 at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, Szott, a retired New York Jets offensive lineman, recalled that when Shane, who has cerebral palsy, lived at home in Morristown, “no one would stop by to see him,” but at Matheny, “he has lots of friends.” Szott also remembers having to, “drive all over the state” to find medical care for Shane, but now that he’s at Matheny, “it’s all in one place.”

The golf tournament netted $53,000 to help support the Center of Medicine and Dentistry, Matheny's outpatient clinic, which provides medical, dental and therapy care to more than 600 patients with disabilities from 12 New Jersey counties.

All of us at Matheny would particularly like to thank Jim Entwistle and Village Office Supply for making the Matheny Gold Classic such a success. Jim was our member sponsor at Trump, and he and his crew left no stone unturned to make sure everyone had a fabulous day.

Anne Brady C. R. Bard, Inc. Del-Sano Contracting Corp.

Delta Dental of New Jersey Dendrite International Ernst & Young LLP John & Debby Fullam

Actor Jay Thomas, who conducted the live auction, with adult patient, Jessica Evans.

University Health Plans foursome, from left: Matt Obeirne, Jinoak Ha, Mark Calderon and Bill VanGieson.

hilb rogal & hobbs Kalison, McBride, Jackson & Murphy PA Kazan International, Inc. The Larini Foundation Daniel F. McLaughlin, Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Mickey Von SeaDog and Friends Partyka Construction Inc.

From left: Porzio, Bromberg & Newman’s Doug Henshaw, Jones Lang LaSalle’s Lloyd Desatnick and PB&N’s Bill Krais. Desatnick is the father of 15-year-old Matheny student, Bryan Desatnick; Krais is a member of Matheny’s Board of Trustees.

Dave Szott, left, and former Jets QB Glenn Foley.

Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.A. Shore Point Architecture Supreme Heating & Air Conditioning The Szott Family UBS Financial Services/Angie Newman University Health Plans, Inc. Villa Enterprises

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Our Special Thanks...

A tribute to recognize occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, to honor a friend, or in memory of a loved one takes on special meaning when it also helps the many children and adults at Matheny.

When you make a gift, the honored person or the Honor Contributors List May 22, 2006 to November 30, 2006 Daniel Ambroziak Mr. & Mrs. Willard G. Lowe Anthony Barton III Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Barton Mr. & Mrs. Hans Booz Mr. David R. McShane Casey Carragher Doreen & Harold Ward David Chard Mr. David R. McShane Chester Cheeseman Mr. & Mrs. Frank Valvano Jason Christie Skylands BMW Riders Mr. & Mrs. Christopher D. Clark Mr. David R. McShane Mr. & Mrs. Ken Cooper Mr. David R. McShane Arne DeFrang Ms. Toby Hayer Edana & Lloyd Desatnick Mr. & Mrs. David Sachs Bertrand Dor Ms. Jodi Lee Alper Ms. Ashley Balavoine Mr. & Mrs. Donald Barney Mr. & Mrs. Paul Bergh Janine & Jim Boldra Mr. Christopher English Bontoux Ms. Deborah R. Cipriano Mr. & Mrs. Curtis Dwyer Mr. Tom Eastwick, HoHoKus School of Secretarial & Medical Sciences Doug Eiel Mr. Christopher English Ms. Kathleen M. Galvin Josette Gernhardt Mr. Paul Hackett Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Hunter Bruno & Florence Leyssene Mr. & Mrs.Michael Malloy MANE, U.S.A. Ms. Loriann Mariano Ms. Elizabeth Marrone

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Mr. & Mrs. Michael McCormick Ms. Patricia Mercurio Mr. & Mrs. Rene Morgenthaler Mr. & Mrs. George Nereo Mark & Ann O'Connell Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Reyes Mr. & Mrs. Michael Riff Robertet USA Ms. Celene Roche Mr. & Mrs. Knut Rossbach Ms. Nora Samaniego Mr. & Mrs. Ikey Smith Barb Stickle Mr. & Mrs. Christian Truc Mr. & Mrs. Peter Van Der Mey Mr. & Mrs. Jacques Vermorel Mr. Eugene Vivino Mr. H. Cutler Whitman IV Dr. John Wispelwey Charles Fieramosca Universal Pacific Diamonds & Jewelry, LLC John Finlay Mr. David R. McShane Alise Fisher Dr. Bruce Fox Riana Fisher Dr. Bruce Fox Bruce Gangawer Mr. David R. McShane Kieran Patrick Gardy Patricia Nordling

family of the deceased receives a personal letter acknowledging your gift. The amount is never mentioned. You, as the donor, receive an official receipt for your tax deductible contribution. For more information, call Fay Mackey at 908-234-0011, ext. 214.

Scott Martin Mr. David R. McShane Mr. & Mrs. Al Miller Mrs. Phyllis White AI Miller Mrs. Phyllis A. White Michael Nugent Mr. David R. McShane Mark C. O'Connell Ms. Eileen O'Connell Nancy Stark Lindsay Sims Jean & Peter Van Riper Selma Susman Sandy & Linda Josephson Shane Szott Mr. & Mrs. Martin J. Mackin Michael Taurozzi Albany International Corp.

K. Bezuyen Mr. & Mrs. J. Brunner Mrs. Doreen L. Rhodes John Taurozzi Jill Toporoff Elaine Dorr Gretchen J. Ueno Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Bednarz

Group of 1st Presbyterian Church of Dunellen Ms. Janet Danitis Higgins Mary Lou & Ron MacKenzie Mr. Nicholas Malanga Mr. & Mrs. Edward McCarthy Ms. Joan Reale Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc. Ms. Jane A. Rogers Ms. Louise Sbordone Mr. & Mrs. Harry F. Schoepp Lois & Carl Torsilieri Ms. Frances G. Woolley Arleen F. DeCoster Jennifer & Jim DeCoster William Doane Dr. & Mrs. Robert M. Fink Barbara Duffany Mr. Richard A. Duffany Gordon Dunn Ms. Joan M. Munson Anne, David, Carl Edelman Ruth & Alex Silvey Martin Fasciana Second Chance Thrift Shop Charles H. Foley, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Robert W. Foley Ms. Claire Foley Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Greatorex Sisters of Charity

Bob & Carolyn Hanington Ms. Gail Hanington

Memorial Contributors List May 22, 2006 to November 30, 2006

Clara E. Gant Jane & Donald Gant

Mr. & Mrs. Jamie Hollander Mr. David R. McShane

"Flippy" Nancy & Bernie Robins

Claire Giordmaine Mr. & Mrs. Joseph A. Giordmaine

Lucile M. Huggins Mrs. Graham Argent-Belcher Doris & Fred Aufschlager Mr. & Mrs. Franklin D. Haftl

John Balaam Mr. & Mrs. Lincoln S. Karnoff

James R. Gorman Ms. Joan M. Munson

Netta & Frank Barbara Mr. Paul Barbara

Jane T. Gray Mr. Joseph McGuinness

"Auntie" Eleanor Champion Ms. Joan M. Munson

James Hackett Ms. Toby Hayer

Eric S. Corbin Susan & Ned Billingslea Mr. & Mrs. Philip A. Burrell Ms. Gladys B. Dilts Mr. & Mrs. William Elliott Friday Morning Ladies Fellowship

William Hayevy Kathy & Tom Moser

Gregory Kuhrt Mr. & Mrs. Dirk J. Beisner Wendy & Dirk Beisner Methfessel & Werbel p.c.

Audrey & Joseph Morrison, Jr. Rutgers Preparatory School Kathy & Chuck Lesnik Ms. Toby Hayer

Norma A. Hehmeyer Ms. Joan M. Munson

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Dr. Arthur Holleb Mr. & Mrs. David R. Greenebaum Betty Horton Ms. Carolyn Kavanaugh Andrew Iannone Mrs. Mary Iannone Edmund Jaskulka Catherine & Paul Bergh Nancy & Walt Hojnacki Gerie & Jim LoSapio Mr. & Mrs. James W. Patyrak Mrs. Phyllis Rowley Mr. & Mrs. James W. Watson Jerome P. Kearney Ms. Kathleen M. Kearney Robert T. Keary, Jr. Mrs. Patricia Nordling Erick P. Koep Mr. & Mrs. Dean E. Koep, Jr. Robert Laws Ms. Gloria M. Fletcher Stephanie Long Jodi & Charles Rosenzweig Our beloved daughter, Kyra Leigh Loudermilk Judy & Joe Loudermilk Russell W. McDowell Ms. Mildred M. McDowell William McKenzie Jodi & Charlie Rosenzweig Jennie Meyer Jodi & Charles Rosenzweig & Family Lisa Miklitsch Ms. Catherine M. Bergh

Ms. Katherine Bezuyen Elaine & John Brunner Carol & Ralph Chamberlin Mr. Joseph Cuomo Barbara & Robert DeRuiter Mr. & Mrs. Richard Flandera Holly & Peter Floersheimer Amanda & Sean Gordon Dottie & Walt Halbohm Amy & Rob Kipnis Ms. Roxanne Kloos Mr. Bruce Koningswood Ms. Janet Koningswood Dr. Phillip LaBove Mrs. Thelma LaBove Leesman Family Dr. Gerald & Paula Lefever Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Mackey Connie & Howard Maitland Mrs. Lesley Margolis Mr. Eugene C. Meyers Staff of the Renal Dept. Newark Beth Israel M.C. Michele & John Newman Mr. John T. Pearson Anna & Frank Quatela Julie & Mike Repasky Ms. Joan P. Rivers Mary & Fred Roughgarden Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Salzone

Skyland Drifters Mr. John Taurozzi Ruth Ann & Chuck Theodora Carol & Pete Tomasi Ms. Joan E. Van Ry Mr. & Mrs. Walter Venard Mr. & Mrs. David Whalen Edna Roche Jodi & Charles Rosenzweig Sid Sanders Jodi & Charles Rosenzweig

Loretta Steinberg Roberta & Joel Oberman Rose Ann Stewart Ms. Joan M. Munson Con Sweeney Catherine & Paul Bergh Janine Thompson Devon Chaffkin Michael Thompson Carol & Ken Johnson

Thomas Santos Mr. & Mrs. Anthony J. Prendergast Ms. Lena M. Sbrogna

John Tierney Catherine & Paul Bergh

Henry "Duke" H. Schanz Ms. Catherine M. Schanz

Erica Vallario Ms. Alex Rosenzweig & Family

Caroline Silverman Mrs. Patricia Nordling

Raymond Wilbur Jodi & Charles Rosenzweig

Evelyn & Benjamin Silvey Ruth & Alex Silvey

Robert T. Woodhull Ms. Joan M. Munson

Roy Starks Ms. Catherine M. Bergh

Catherine Zuvich Mrs. Patricia Nordling

Agnes Staudacher Catherine & Paul Bergh

On Top of the Hill Some people dream of the future but are unable to shape reality. A few, like Walter and Marguerite Matheny, actually turn their dream into a reality and leave a legacy that forever changes the landscape of life.

Gladstone resident, Brooke Goode, has captured the dream and the legacy of the Mathenys in an inspiring book chronicling the first 60 years of The Matheny Medical and Educational Center.

Want to know more? Contact the Development Department at (908) 234-0011, ext. 214 or 260.

Minerva Miller Ms. Joan M. Munson James (Jimmy) Morris Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Feenstra Mr. & Mrs. Morris & Shannon Arthur J. Muglia Art Muglia Memorial Golf Outing Mr. & Mrs. John L. Schumacher Danny Otten Laura & Richard Otten William S. Rhodes Aunt Edrie & Uncle Jack Paul Aubry Family Ann Marie & John Bezuyen Mr. & Mrs. Cornelius Bezuyen

In 1954,Chuck Matheny helps break ground for construction of Matheny's new facility in Peapack.

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Michelle Russo Named Director of Adult Services Michelle Russo has been appointed as Matheny’s director of adult services. Russo joined Matheny in 1994 as a recreation therapist, a position she held until 1999 when she transferred into adult services as a community instructor. She then became the assistant director in 2001.

Matheny’s adult services program is designed to assist adult patients in attaining their highest level of independent functioning. The residential program includes a 20-bed intermediate care facility (ICF), a 29-bed special hospital and five community residences.

Matheny also operates two adult learning centers - one in Hillsborough and one at the main campus in Peapack.

The ICF, adult day care and community residences are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of

Rehabiitation Facilities (CARF). The adult patients - both Matheny residents

Michelle Russo visits with adult patient, Lateefah Stewart.

and individuals from other community placements - attend the program several times a week, taking classes in a wide range of disciplines, from daily liv-

ing to money management to attendance at and participation in a variety of community events. As part of this program, they are taught the skills necessary for volunteering and for job placement.

The community residences, in Middlesex, Somerset and Warren counties, are licensed by the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) and provide their occupants with the opportunity to live as independently as possible - shopping, interacting with neighbors and working or attending classes during the day.

Russo, a resident of Hackettstown, has a BA in therapeutic recreation from Springfield College in Springfield, MA, and an MA in leadership and public administration from Centenary College in Hackettstown.

Karen Staada New Director of Occupational Therapy Karen Staada, MS, OTR, ATP, has been named director of occupational therapy at Matheny. Staada, who joined Matheny as a staff OT in 1998, was named senior OT in 2004.

Prior to coming to Matheny, the Hackettstown resident was a staff OT at Warren Hospital located in Phillipsburg.

Before that, she was an occupational therapist at Northwest Covenant Medical Center in Denville. Staada holds a BS in psychology and an MS in occupational therapy from College Misericordia in Dallas, PA. She is NDT (Neuro - Developmental Treatment) trained and has been certified by the Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of America (RESNA) as an Assistive Technology Practitioner (ATP). NDT-trained therapists work closely with individuals with neurological 10

challenges, helping them to become as independent as possible. RESNA certifi-

Karen Staada, left, with adult patient, Diane Pearson.

cation is awarded to successful candidates who present themselves to the public as service providers involved in the analysis of a consumer’s needs and training use of a particular assistive tech-

nology device. In her role as an occupational therapist at Matheny, Staada has collaborated with other therapists and rehab technicians in Matheny’s Seating and Mobility Clinic to provide evaluations and solutions for individuals who have impaired posture and mobility. In addition, she is is also a member of the New Jersey Occupational Therapy Association (NJOTA).

Occupational therapy is a health and rehabilitation therapy that helps people regain, develop and build skills that are important for independent functioning health and well-being. At Matheny, OTs are part of a collaborative team of educators, instructors and other therapists who help develop adaptive skills and assist in improving performance capacity in individuals whose ability to perform life skills is impaired.

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Cathy Church Named Matheny Director of Nursing; Durell Hood to Oversee PCA Department Cathy Church, RN, BS, PA, has

gram at Somerset County Technology

desire “to be more hands on, but not

been appointed director of nursing serv-

Institute in Bridgewater, receiving his

necessarily in an acute care setting. The

ices at Matheny, succeeding Linda

LPN nursing degree in 1995.

interaction with the patients here was

O'Connell.

Church, who is a

very attractive to me. This is a great

resident of Cranberry Lake in

alternative to an acute care setting

Byram Township, NJ, had been

because you can really affect the well-

assistant director of nursing-

being and emotional happiness of the

PCA Services. Personal care

patients.”

Cathy Church with 14-year-old Matheny patient, Bianca Mathis.

assistants have the responsibility of helping Matheny patients with their most essential daily needs

Nurses at Matheny are part of an interdisciplinary team of physicians, therapists, educators and personal care

such as eating and personal

assistants. The team’s goal is to make

hygiene.

each patient’s life as comfortable and

Church joined Matheny in

satisfying as possible, given their chal-

February, 1992, as a primary

lenges. Church believes the PCAs are

care nurse. Seven months later,

“really part of nursing services. Many

she was promoted to director of

aspects of what they do - the most basic

PCA Services. Prior to joining

care - used to be done by nurses. The

Matheny, Church spent several

relationship between the nurses and the

years working in long-term care

direct care staff is crucial for the happi-

facilities. Early in her career, she

ness of the patients because of the long-

worked as a recovery room

term nature of their stay here.”

Hood agrees that there is “a

nurse at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in Brooklyn.

closeness, a bond,” between

She received her nursing degree from

the nursing and PCA staffs.”

Kings County Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn, where she also worked for several years in the pediatric burn unit.

She has a BS in healthcare administra-

Durell Hood with 20-yearold patient, Chris Saglimbene.

Recalling that when he first came to Matheny 21 years ago, he had never been exposed to the disabled pop-

tion from St. Frances College in

ulation, he says, “I had to

Brooklyn.

learn that our patients are

Durell Hood, LPN, has been named

okay with their disabilities. We

PCA manager and will oversee the oper-

[the general population] are

ations of the PCA department. Hood, a

the ones with the problem.”

resident of Budd Lake, joined Matheny in

He

1985 as a PCA. In 1987, he became

patient’s ability to speak is not

PCA night supervisor and two years later

necessarily a measure of cog-

was named PCA day supervisor. In

nitive ability. “A lot of these

1993, as part of a Matheny initiative to

guys have a lot they want to

also

learned

that

a

require all PCA supervisors to become

Church’s decision to join the Matheny

say. You just have to learn to communi-

nurses, he enrolled in the nursing pro-

staff 14 years ago, was motivated by a

cate with them.”

11

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Therapeutic Horseback Riding Creates the Sensation of ‘Walking’ ing a horse is as close as they’ll ever get to experiencing what it’s like to walk, according to Linda Silvia, Matheny director of therapies. And, she adds, “sitting on a horse encourages them to use and strengthen their abdominal muscles, and it also improves their sense of balance.”

The reaction to the horseback riding program by both the students and their families has been very enthusiastic. Parents like it because they feel it instills confidence and makes their children forget about their disabilities while they’re riding. Matheny plans to repeat and possibly expand the horseback riding (Above) 15-year-old Teddy Lallis is assisted assisted program next spring and summer but

by Spirit Filled Riders’ Liz Carlson, left, and his moth- the ability to do that will depend on er Maureen Lallis. funding resources.

(Left) 11-year-old Shane Szott reaches for the sky.

For more information, call (908) 234-0011 ext. 214 or 226

Highland Avenue, P.O. Box 339 Peapack, NJ 07977 (908) 234-0011 Fax: (908) 719-2137 www.matheny.org R

Matheny, thanks to funding from John and Wendy Neu of New York City, was able to launch a therapeutic horseback riding program for 10 students this past summer. The program, which began on May 26, was a collaboration with the Spirit Filled Riders Academy of Long Valley, a non-profit organization and member of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). Staff from SFRA brought two horses to Matheny every Friday for 10 weeks (weather permitting) to conduct onsite horseback riding sessions.

Participating students were chosen based on an evaluation process with physical therapists, occupational therapists, physicians and nurses, and an OT and PT were present at each 45-minute session.

For children who spend most of their lives in wheelchairs, rid-

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PEAPACK, NJ PERMIT NO. 1